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Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

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Re: Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

#101

When I moved to CA, I put off getting a CA license for years. I always told myself I'd go to the DMV and do the paperwork, then I waited long enough to find out I would have to retake the test, until finally I just resigned to using Uber and Lyft all the time. I never thought I would need it and so I never made it a priority. So this news really sucks, as you haven't been able to schedule DMV appointments at all and…

> then I waited long enough to find out I would have to retake the test

I didn't have my driver's license for 10+ years, and thought the Californian DMV would surely make me take another driver's test because of that. Nope...after I did the written test, they said my license would come in the mail.

Re: Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

#102
post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My close friend drove for Uber and Lyft in Los Angeles. He was constantly abused and berated by drunk and rude passengers (which he couldn't refuse), drove more just to have Uber slash his take-home rate by 60%, and even invested in a larger van so he could drove pool (or whatever the name is for large groups) which never materialized. He's extremely happy to see them go.

How much are Uber and Lyft paying him now?

He left them a while ago. Couldn't make a living driving for both.

Re: Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

#105
We don’t want to suspend operations.

So don't.

Either give the drivers what the California politicians are saying all Californians should have as a minimum benefit, and then go to court to argue why Lyft drivers should get something else, or let Lyft drivers set their own prices as they should be able to as independent contractors.

Re: Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

#106
post #15

When Tesla/Waymo/Uber/Lyft roll out actual self-driving technology in the future and people complain "robots are taking our jobs!" we can point to this legislation and say "actually, no, it was the politicians"

Automation is coming regardless of policies.

Automation isn’t done for automation’s sake. Business people don’t think that way. It’s done to save money or make money. Also, business owners are not quick to break a system that makes money for a few extra pennies. Politicians like to flip the scales, and business owners react predictably.

Re: Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

#107

When I moved to CA, I put off getting a CA license for years. I always told myself I'd go to the DMV and do the paperwork, then I waited long enough to find out I would have to retake the test, until finally I just resigned to using Uber and Lyft all the time. I never thought I would need it and so I never made it a priority. So this news really sucks, as you haven't been able to schedule DMV appointments at all and…

There’s always actual licensed taxis or public transit.

Re: Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

#108
post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The average person's response to being told they'd have to take another driver's test isn't to replace driving with Uber/Lyft. You're in a unique position to be able to afford to replace all driving with ridesharing, since gas+insurance+maintenance costs are much lower than say, a month of commuting to an office via rideshare.

There are tons of people who could have replaced their car with rideshare and maybe some public transit, and still come out cheaper. Insurance, parking, fuel, depreciation, maintenance, and random events add up. If you don't need it for commuting, most of the recurring rideshare costs vanish. If you need to make an extra long occasional trip, car rental for a day or two outweighs ownership. Edit: To be clear, anythin…

It’s only cheaper because riders were taking advantage of the unrealistically low labor costs (while regulation was catching up) and dumb VC money.

Riders only have themselves to blame if they made life choices around a service that was clearly unsustainable, Movie Pass style.

Re: Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

#109
post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

100% of the thousands of Uber drivers I've talked to over the past 8 years have said work flexibility is their greatest advantage. Many of them already have other commitments and drive for extra income. If they wanted a FT driving job, they would've gotten one.

Thinking through this more. I've noticed that a lot of drivers work both Uber and Lyft (flexibility allows this). Would that go away in the employee model?

Yes. You can’t be on the clock at two employers at the same time

Re: Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

#110

I don't know if you're genuine or not but the way you wrote this post sounds so utterly inauthentic[0]. You're whimsically sad you can't get more fun money to invest in stock, while the reason that ride sharing is being shut down is because it takes advantage of the lower class it depends on. [0]edit: unauthentic->inauthentic

5,000 karma account established in 2017 with a reasonable comment history shares person experience ...attacked as a shill.

I don't think the comment is claiming the OP is a shill; just that OP's description is idealistic i.e. what OP _wants_ to think of the situation, and not authentic to the average driver's experiences.
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